This line runs through a low population district
and across peat-moss. The highest populations are at either ends of the line.
The route is slightly circuitous; the main road to Thurso and Wick runs up the
coast and the line runs inland. The coast is mostly high cliff with very large
cuts into it which would have necessitated many very large viaducts had the
line taken this route. The inland route is considerably more level. After the
opening of the line a branch was opened from Wick to Occumster and Lybster on
the coast which had been missed out by taking the inland route. There was a
brief goldrush in the Strath of Kildonan with a large temporary population of
prospectors. The area is now given over to deer-stalking.

Wick was known for its quarries and very large
fishing harbour. In 1912 quarries closed and a large part of the population
used the railway to emigrate. Thurso is close to the Dounreay Nuclear Plant
which has added to the prosperity of the town.

This was the terminus of the Duke
of Sutherland's Railway's extension of 1871 from Gartymore. (See that line
for details of the station). The Sutherland and Caithness Railway started from
the north end of the station and ran north toThurso and Wick.

This station had a passing loop and two platforms.
The passing loop has been lifted and only one platform is in use today. The
Strath of Kildonan was the site of a gold rush in the nineteen hundreds with
many men living in poor timber accomodation. The 'Kildonan South' and 'Kildonan
North' signalboxes have been demolished.

This was a two platform station with a passing
loop. The passing loop has been lifted and only the former southbound platform
is today in use. The 'Kinbrace South' and 'Kinbrace North' signalboxes have
been demolished.

This is a two platform station with a passing
loop. The former 'Forsinard North' signalbox still stands ('Forsinard South'
has been demolished), and the windows are occasional victims of vandalism. The
waiting shelter on the southbound platform still stands and has a heavy roll-back
door. There is a siding to the west of the station. The platforms are extended
at the eastend with timber.

This was a two platform station with a passing
loop. Today one platform is in use, the base of the former water tank and a
sidings exists here. A station building still stands, in use as a private residence.
This site is subject to heavy snow in winter. The 'Altnabreac South' and 'Altnabreac
North' signalboxes have been demolished.

This station is at an isolated spot approached
by forestry commision roads.

This station formerly had two platforms and
a passing loop. Today the northbound platform remains in use and the loop has
been lifted. The remaining platform and former station building are in a good
state of repair and have won awards. The 'Scotscalder South' and 'Scotscalder
North' signalboxes have been demolished.

This station is the junction between the line
from Inverness to Wick and the Thurso branch. The station has two main platforms,
the station building, a footbridge, passing loop and sidings parallel to the
Inverness to Wick platform. The station is crossed by a road bridge at the east
end and there is a shed at the south end of the station. There was a bay platform
for the Thurso branch (track now lifted) and the Thurso branch had a loop track
now lifted. 'Georgemas Junction' signalbox has been demolished, it was a tall
signalbox and lasted a good few years after it fell out of use. 'Georgemas North'
signalbox was demolished many years before.

The left photograph looks towards the junction.
The centre photograph looks towards Wick. The station is open to freight at
the time of writing.

The right hand photograph shows the junction.
Thurso line to the left, Wick straight on, and rest of Britain to the right.
The turntable pit is nicely picked out by wild plants in the foreground. A signal-box
used to stand in the "V" of the junction.

Thurso is the most northerly station in Britain.
It is at the end of a short branch from Georgemas Junction. The station has
a overall roof, goods shed and goods yard (formerly used by UKAEA - the UK Atomic
Energy Authority - for Dounreay). The station formerly had an engine shed and
signalbox. The passenger part of the station has a long platform, partly covered
by an overall roof (also partly covering a line and rounding loop). The second
face of the platform has a second track which is not covered. Thurso and Wick
stations are similar.

This station is the end of the line. It has
a long platform, partly covered by a over-all roof which also partly covered
a track and passing loop. The second face of the platform was formerly served
by a track, now lifted. There is a goods yard (in 1956 sidings were used by
Scottish Oils & Shell-Mex) and a goods shed. There was formerly a signalbox
and engine shed (a two road shed, 60D, closed in 1962). To the west of the station
was the east (Wick) facing junction with the now closed line to Lybster (See
also the Wick
and Lybster Light Railway). Thurso and Wick stations are similar.